Packing meal boxes underscores the meaning of Thanksgiving
We’re one week away from one of the most distinctly American holidays of the year — Thanksgiving.
We’ll gather with family to recall the blessings we’ve received over the last year and to enjoy food and drink in abundance.
Of course, we all know that not everyone will have that opportunity. This year, and every year, there are people who simply don’t have enough to live on, let alone enough to celebrate.
On Wednesday, Nov. 19, dozens of volunteers gathered at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township to put together and seal 500 meal boxes for Thanksgiving.
The boxes included a complete turkey meal for four, as well as other food. The event was organized by Familylinks, with support from Semper Gratus, Walmart and Pitt Ohio.
We live in a time of great abundance, but also of great inequality. Food insecurity grew by nearly a full percentage point between 2022 and 2023, according to USDA statistics.
That makes a holiday like Thanksgiving, with its focus on gratitude, an excellent time for families to donate their time or money to help those less fortunate.
When we work together, we can accomplish great things, as the founder of Semper Gratus explained.
“Semper giving is proof of what can happen when people and partners come together for something bigger than themselves,” said Ian Coyle, founder and president of Semper Gratus, a nonprofit that supports kindness and community impact. “Each box is packed with hope, and every box is more than a meal. It’s a reminder that kindness still connects us.”
As Thanksgiving approaches, consider what you can do to help those who have less.
— JK
